The invention relates to an apparatus for cutting out the vent of a fowl, which is hanging by the ankle joints from a shackle of an overhead conveyor, comprising at least one cutting means moving along with the conveyor and having a hollow cylindrical knife concentrically rotating about a centre pin, which for cutting the vent is inserted into the vent opening in order to centre the knife relative to the fowl's vent.
APPARATUS KNOWN APPARATUSES OF THIS KIND, WHICH SERVE TO MAKE A CIRCULAR CUT IN THE SKIN OF THE FOWL AROUND ITS VENT, IN SUCH A MANNER THAT THE SKIN IS SEVERED FROM THE ENTRAILS OF THE FOWL, WITHOUT DAMAGING THE ENTRAILS, HAVE THE DISADVANTAGE THAT THE CUT VENT IS OFTEN CAUGHT BY THE ROTATING KNIFE, SO THAT THE FOWL'S RECTUM IS TWISTED AND MIGHT RUPTURE, IN WHICH CASE THE ENTRAILS ARE DAMAGED.